Humidifier and air washer



May 28 1935.

H. J. SOMERS- HUMIDIFIER AND AIR WASHER Filed March 2, 1932 INVENTOR. firmer/v d. Jan [1P8 I ATTORNEY.

Y iatented May- '28, 1935 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE My invention relates to a new and useful im provement in a humidifier'and air washer where by air may be delivered to rooms and similar come partments in a correctly humidified. and thoroughly washed condition. It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus bf'this' class in which the air to be circulated may be passed over a maximum area of moistsurface contained within a minimum space, so as to render an efficient apparatus which is compact and of such a structure as to require a minimum space.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of this class in which the air to be circulated or washed is caused to travel vin,a direction opposite to the travelof the washing spray, or directly against the spray.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a structure in which the plates which are maintained in a moist condition and over which the air is directed are maintained at all times in a clean condition.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a structure whereby the washing spray will serve to maintain the surface plates in clean condition.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a plurality of separating plates so that the air is thoroughly cleaned as well as humidified.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an air conduit so constructed and arranged that all noise arising from the operation of the washing and humidifying apparatus and the travel of the air is eliminated.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described'and claimed. v 1

The invention will be best understood from a reference to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification and in which,

Fig. 1 is a central vertical sectional view of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.'

In the invention I provide a housing 9 resting upon a bed III of suitable sound deadening mate-- rial. This bed is supported upon the bars I3 which are attached to the supporting legs l2. Resting upon the base I I, so as to occupy the lower section ii of the housing 9 is? humidifying 55 unit consisting of the spacedplates l4 connected by the end walls I and 8. An opening l6 communicates with the section l5 so that air may be delivered thereto through the air duct IT.

A cover or hood I8 is mounted on the upper end of the housing 9 and lined with a layer IQ of felt 5 I or other suitable sound deadening andabsorbent material. An outlet opening 20 is formed in the side of the hood communicating with the housing 2| in which is located a suction fan 22 by means of which air may be drawn upwardly 10 through the housing 9 and directed outwardly through the conduit 43 into the muiiler 44 which is lined with a layer of suitable absorbent and sound deadening material 45. A concave, centrally positioned baffle 45 is mounted in the muilier 44 and provided on its under surface with a layer of sound deadening absorbent material 41. Additional baflies 48 and 50, each covered on its lower surface with a layer of sound deadening and absorbent material 49 and 5| respectively are mounted above the baflie 46 and at opposite sides of the muflier 44, the baflie 50 being positioned above the bafiie 48. This muifler communicates with the air delivery pipe 52' by which the air is delivered to the room or compartment for which it is intended and from which, in the most common installations, it is withdrawn for treatment.

The blower 22 is driven by the electric motor 23 which is supported on the pedestal 24 mounted on the base 25 which rests upon the angle iron 25 and the leg 21. p

A water deliverypipe 28 which connects to a source of water supply under pressure, such as the city water supply, serves to deliver water through the filter 29, the electrically controlled valve 30 and the pipe 3| to the outlet or spray nozzle 32, from which the water is directed downwardly in a spray on the humidifying plates I 4. The plates l4 are thus kept moist and the incoming air which is drawn into the housing 9 by the blower 22 is caused to pass over these plates and through the spray 33. It will be noted that the travel of the air is in the opposite direction to the travel of the water spray and against the same. It will also be noted that the spray is directed against the humidifying plates. This construction is one which assures a thorough cleansing and washing of the air and the humidifying of the same while at the same time the humidifying plates are always maintained in a clean condition, free from any accumulations or dust or other foreign material. The water is permitted to drain from the housing 9 by means of the drain pipe 34.

In the operation of the device I use an electric control embodying a humidistat which is electrically connected to the switch housing 31 by means of the wire 36. The control switches in the housing 31, which are operated by the humidistat, are connected by the cable 38 to the motor 23 and by the cable 39 to the magnetically operated valve 30, so that the device may be entirely automatic in its operation. When the humidity in the'room which is being air conditioned drops to a predetermined degree the humidistat will operate to automatically set the device into operation.

Positioned in the housing 9, between the humidifying plates l4 and the blower 22, is a separating unit comprising the plates 42 which are formed sinuous and which are maintained in spaced relation to each other through the connection of the ends thereof with the end plates 53 and 54. These plates; thus connected together, form a separating unit which'divides the air current into separate streams and which also serves to separate therefrom any particles of dust or other solid foreign material which may have passed through the spray 33. This separating unit occupies the section or space of the housing 9 and rests upon the angle iron supports 4|.

With an apparatus of this nature, constructed and operated as described, there is provided a simple and effective means for washing air and removing dust, foreign materials and odors therefrom and at the same time restoring the proper humidity to the air. being maintained in a clean condition, need rarely be removed, so that there is provided a device of this class which, when once installed, will require very little attention and servicing.

- The humidifying plates are enclosed in a small enclosure or cabinet which is formed by the section of the housing occupied, so that a compact structure, with a maximum amount of moistening or humidifying surface in a minimum of space, is v provided. Owing to this compactness and the small floor space occupied, and also owing to the substantial absence of all noise, the economical structure of the device and the small expense at .which it may be operated, the device is admirably adapted as an installation for air conditioning in dwellings and small buildings.

While I haveillustrated and described the preferred form of construction I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details of structure shown but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an air conditioner of the class described, a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet, said inlet and .said outlet being spaced apart; a humidifying unit located between said inlet and said outlet in the path of travel of the air; means The humidifying plates,

- for causing air to enter said housing at said inlet and pass therefrom through said outlet; spray delivery means for delivering a spray of moistening medium on to said unit and against the direction of travel of the air through said housing; a hood for said housing;' and a layer of sound deadening and moisture absorbing material covering the inner surface of said hood and exposed to the air traveling therethrough.

2. An air conditioner of the class described, comprising: a housing having an inlet opening at one end; a hood for the opposite end of said housing having an outlet opening formed therein; means for effecting a travel of air through said housing into the same through said inlet opening and out of the same through said outlet opening; a spray delivery means for delivering a spray of moistening medium into said housing; and a layer of sound deadening and moisture absorbing material on the inner surface of said hood and exposed to the air traveling therethrough.

3. In an air conditioner of the class described, a

housing having an inlet opening adjacent its lower end and an outlet opening adjacent its upper end; a humidifying unit at the lower end of said housing positioned in the path of travel of the air through said housing, said unit comprising a plurality of flat spaced plates with planal faces extended in vertical position; and a spray delivery means in said housing above said unit for delivering a spray of moistening medium downwardly against the path of travel of the air and on to said plates for moistening the air and maintaining the face of said plates in clean condition.

4. An air conditioning device of the class described comprising: a housing having an inlet opening and an. outlet opening; means for effecting travel of air through said housing and outwardly therefrom through said outlet opening; a humidifying element positioned in said housing, in the path of travel of the air passing therethrough; spray delivery means extending into said housing for delivering a spray of moistening medium thereinto and upon said humidifying element; a separating unit positioned in the path of travel of the air after passage of the same over said humidifying element for separating solid particles of water from the air passing there against; a conduit for reception of the air passing from said housing; a mufller communicating with said conduit; a concave centrally positioned baffle in said muflier having its convex face directed against the direction of travel of air passing therethrough; a. layer of moisture absorbent and sound deadening material on the convex face of said baflle; additional baflies projecting inwardly from the sides of said mufiier; and a layerof moisture absorbent and sound deadening material on one side of each of said additional baflles, said layers being directed toward and exposed to the air passing therethrough.

HERBERT J. SOMERS. 

